Dr. Shyam Khonde has been appointed as Global Industry Advisory Counsellor at the Kennedy University of Leadership, California, USA, bringing decades of strategic HR leadership, industry expertise, and cross-continental experience to the university’s Industry Advisory Council. In this role, he will contribute to global academic-industry collaboration, leadership development programs, and strategic industry insights that shape future-ready learning frameworks.
Dr. Khonde currently serves as Global Director – Human Resources at Market Expertise, where he leads global people strategy across Pune, London, and New York. His responsibilities span talent strategy, organizational culture, workforce transformation, and cross-border HR leadership. Alongside his corporate role, he has also been a Member of the Management Board at Karve Institute of Social Service since 2021, contributing to institutional governance and social-impact driven learning initiatives.
Over his expansive career, Dr. Khonde has held leadership positions at several renowned global organizations. At LG India, he served as Head – Human Resource Management Services (Senior General Manager) for nearly 18 years, leading workforce strategy, HR operations, labour relations, employee well-being, and large-scale organizational transformation. Prior to that, he headed HR functions at Apollo Tyres Ltd, Cipla Health Ltd, and served in HR roles at Hindustan Lever Ltd, KSB Company, and Kalyani Steels, strengthening his experience across diversified industries including FMCG, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and automotive.
His experience blends corporate leadership with academic involvement, positioned at the intersection of policy, talent development, and industry-institution alignment. With expertise in HR transformation, labour relations, global workforce strategy, Six Sigma (BB & GB), and auditing, Dr. Khonde brings a holistic perspective to leadership education and professional development at Kennedy University.
Through this appointment, he expands his contribution to global learning ecosystems, reinforcing industry-aligned education and leadership excellence at an international scale.